The Satellite Object
The Satellite object models the properties and behavior of a vehicle in orbit around a central body. Select one or more of the following to model a satellite, impose constraints, and define the satellite's subobjects:
Basic Properties
Property | Description | ||||||||||||||||
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Orbit |
Define a satellite's orbit, including coordinate system, orbital elements, and time parameters for the following propagators:
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Attitude | Define an attitude profile for the satellite. | ||||||||||||||||
Pass Break | Specify the event that defines the boundary between passes (or revolutions) of an orbiting satellite. | ||||||||||||||||
Mass | Specify the satellite's moment-of-inertia tensor and its mass. | ||||||||||||||||
Lighting | Define the eclipse central body list used for lighting computations. | ||||||||||||||||
Reference | Specify a vehicle to be used as a reference satellite in a formation flying situation. | ||||||||||||||||
Ground Ellipses | Add a set of ellipses for the satellite. | ||||||||||||||||
EOIR Shape | Specify EOIR image generation properties for the satellite. Works with STK's Electro-Optical Infrared (EOIR) capability. | ||||||||||||||||
SEET |
Use SEET property pages to enter values that affect calculations involving the space environment as modeled by the STK Space Environment and Effects Tool (SEET):
SEET radiation computations are also affected by scenario-level settings. |
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Description | Record useful information about the satellite. |
2D Graphics Properties
Property | Description |
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Attributes | Define color, line style, and other graphics characteristics for the satellite, and opt whether to inherit or override global attributes defined at the Scenario level. |
Time Events | Display text, a marker, or a line to indicate an event that occurs at a particular time on the satellite's ground track |
Pass | Control the display of a satellite's ground track and orbit path in the 2D Graphics window. |
Contours | Define elevation angle contours in the 2D Graphics window. |
Range | Define range contours representing the various regions of the surface that can see an object at the specified level. |
Lighting | Define the graphical display of lighting conditions for the satellite during animation. |
Swath | Calculate and graphically display swath for the satellite. |
Ground Ellipses | Set the display graphics for a ellipse set defined on the Basic Ground Ellipse page for vehicles. |
SEET Environment |
Set parameters that affect the display of the magnetic field and the contours of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) in relation to the vehicle, as modeled by the STK Space Environment and Effects capability. |
Radar Cross Section | Define the 2D contour graphics for the desired frequency. |
3D Graphics Properties
Property | Description |
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Pass | Control the display of the satellite's ground track and orbit path in the 3D Graphics window. |
Orbit System | Show the satellite’s orbit in a variety of coordinate systems. |
Attitude Sphere | The Attitude Sphere is a visualization aid that when combined with vector display constitutes a powerful tool for displaying the object's attitude and for tracking attitude changes over time. |
Vector | Control the display of vectors and other geometric elements related to the satellite. |
Proximity | Control the position of the satellite in the 3D Graphics window. |
Drop Lines | Define the display of lines between the satellite's orbit (the actual path that the satellite follows) and the central body. |
Covariance | Define the graphical display of a 3D ellipsoid. |
B-Plane | Control the display of b-planes for the satellite. |
Model | Specify a model to represent the satellite in the 3D Graphics window, and then scale the model and adjust the position of any model articulations. |
Offsets | Position a model and marker representing the satellite in the 3D Graphics window by offsetting the object from its reference frame. |
Contours | Define elevation angle contours in the 3D Graphics window. |
Range | Display range contours for the satellite. Range contours display in accordance with the values set for the 2D Graphics Range Contours for the satellite. |
Model Pointing | Point parts of the satellite model toward a target, such as the Sun or Earth. |
Data Display | Display dynamic data for the satellite in the 3D Graphics window. |
Vapor Trail | Add a vapor trail to the satellite. |
Radar Cross Section | Control the 3D display of RCS contour lines. |
Constraints
Property | Description |
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Basic | Impose a variety of standard access constraints (azimuth and elevation angle and rate, range and range rate, propagation delay, etc.) from the satellite to another object. |
Sun | Impose a variety of access constraints from the satellite to another object based on the position of the Sun and the Moon. |
Temporal | Impose time-based access constraints from the satellite to another object. |
Advanced | Impose several advanced access constraints (grazing angle and altitude, doppler cone angle, solar beta angle, etc.) from the satellite to another object. | Zones | Use inclusion and exclusion zones to define areas where access is or is not allowed. |
Targeting | Define the relationship between the satellite and its target in terms of cross-track range, in-track range and squint angle. |
Vector | Constrain access computations with respect to any valid vector or angle. |
Special | Special access constraints are defined in terms of geostationary belt exclusion, height above horizon, terrain grazing angle and exclusion of other scenario objects. |
Search/Track |
Radar Search/Track Constraints property pages enable you to enter minimum and maximum values for several parameters. You can also choose from the following Doppler options:
You can extend the STK Radar SAR computation and constraints with the Search/Track plugin constraint. See Search/Track User Plugin. |
SAR |
SAR property pages enable you to impose a variety of constraints on synthetic aperture (SAR) radar.
You can extend the STK Radar SAR computation and constraints with the Search/Track plugin constraint. See SAR User Plugin. |
Plugins | An interface is provided for defining custom constraints in terms of user-supplied scripts created in VBScript and MATLAB. |
SEET | Special access constraints are imposed based on relationships of the vehicle with, and the effects of, the space environment as modeled by the STK Space Environment and Effects capability (e.g., debris and meteroid fluxes, radiation fluxes, vehicle temperature, magnetic field, etc.). |
RF Properties
Property | Description |
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Radar Cross Section | Specify the radar cross section (RCS) parameters. |